Among the broad array of tobacco products offered on the market today there is a class of goods intended for oral administration which do not require combustion. Examples include chewing tobacco, snus, and moist snuff.
Chewing tobacco is typically treated by dipping or spraying a sweetening and flavouring composition, called casing, on the cured tobacco leaves and partially drying the tobacco before forming the leaves into the desired final product and packaging the same. Snus is another moist tobacco product which is provided in loose form or in individually-wrapped pouches. It contains tobacco which has been cured, humidified, and flavoured in a pasteurization-like process. Snuff, when provided in moist form, is similar to chewing tobacco in that it is also typically treated with moisture agents and humectants in a casing process.
All of the aforementioned products have high moisture content and typically also have acidic pH values. The limitations on shelf life for a natural product like tobacco are exacerbated by the presence of significant amounts of moisture and often additional microbial food sources such as sweeteners and flavouring agents.
Due to both the product constraints and consumer preference, these products are generally provided in a stout cylindrical or oval package which is portable but protects the product from crushing and which forms an effective moisture barrier. Examples include cardboard or paperboard formed cans coated with paraffin or other inert moisture barrier agent. Lids are often polypropylene. Particularly with snus products, the goods are often provided in small lidded drums formed of polypropylene or other suitable plastic. Metal containers are known, however, in addition to the negative impact on product performance seen with prolonged storage in any container, metal containers themselves may suffer damage due to the moisture and acidity of the contents.
The type of packaging that is provided for moist smokeless tobacco products must be durable and form a protective environmental barrier for the goods, but there are drawbacks to providing extensive and heavy packaging. Costs and space requirements for transport and storage are significant, as is the environmental impact of extensive packaging.
While present packaging options are generally suitable for keeping the product clean, moist, and free from physical stress, there remains a need in the art to further develop packaging options for moist smokeless tobacco products.